Typewriter desk



Jan. 21, 1%? W, J. BARGEN 2,414,433

TYPEWBITER DESK Filed Sept. 25, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1947- w. J.-BARGEN TYPEWRITER DESK Filed Sept. 25, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 21, 1947. w, J, BARGEN 2,414,433

TYPEWRITER DESK Filed Sept. 23, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet s well.

Patented Jan. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriter desks. An object of this invention is to provide a typewriter desk having a typewriter 'well in which the typewriter is secured to a base board slidable in the desk, the base board being movable rearwardly and engageable in a rotary cradle and the cradle being rotatable to position the typewriter in a substantially inverted position within the Another object of this invention is to provide in a desk of this type, an improved top and means for holding the top with one section thereof raised.

A further object of this invention is to provide in adesk of this type a rotatable cradle for supporting the typewriter in the well, the cradle being readily removable so that the well can be cleaned, or for other purposes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a desk of this type which includes an improved means for locking the front top section in raised position.

To the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a typewriter desk constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the front portion of the top in open po- 'sition,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to Figure 2 with the front top section in horizontal open position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the inside of the forward portion of the desk,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the typewriter supporting cradle,

porting legs I3. A typewriter well or chamber I 4 is formed in the cabinet III by means of an inner bottom wall I5 and a front upwardly and forwardly inclined wall IS. The bottom wall I5 extends forwardly from the rear Wall I2 and the front wall I6 terminates at its upper end rearwardly of the front posts or legs and is secured to a shelf or upper wall I! which is secured between the side walls I I.

The upper wall or shelf IT projects forwardly beyond the front legs of the cabinet and a pair of side wall extensions I8 are secured to the opposite ends of the shelf I! and to the forward sides of the front legs of the cabinet. Bracing members I9 are secured to the inner sides of the front legs and to the lower side of the upper wall or shelf H. The shelf or upper wall I! constitutes a guide and support for a typewriter base 20 which is slidably engageable on the shelf I! and is adapted to be adjusted lengthwise of the shelf I! by engaging inwardly projecting pins 2| in selected notches or slots 22 which are formed in the base 20. Preferably, thebase 20 adjacent the opposite longitudinal edges thereof and inwardly of the inner ends of the notches 22 is provided with a pair of runners 23 which slidably engage the upper side of the support of shelf I1.

The cabinet I 0 on the inner side thereof has secured to the side walls I I relatively heavy strips 24. The strips 24 have their upper edges in the same plane as the upper surfaces of the shelf I! and each strip 24 is provided with an upwardly designated as 26 is adapted to removably engage opening notch 25. A rotatable cradle generally designated as 26 is adapted to removably engage in the aligned notches 25 and comprises a pair of side members 21 which are connected together by a connecting bar or strip 28.

The side members 21 are formed with fiat upper sides 29 and cutouts 30, and with arcuate opposite ends 3| and 32. A channel 33 is formed on the inner side of each side member 21 parallel with the upper sides 29 and the forward end of the channel 33 has the lower horizontal side thereof downwardly curved, as at 34, and also has the upper side thereof upwardly curved, as at 35, to provide a forwardly flaring mouth withi in which the base 20 is adapted to engage. The

cutouts 30 are formed in the side members 21 so as to provide for the gravity rotation of the cradle to position th channels 33 horizontal when the base 20 is disengaged therefrom.

Each side member 21 is provided with an outwardly extending trunnion or pin 36 which is rotatably engageable in a notch 25. The cradle 26 is so balanced that normally the channels 33 thereof will be disposed in a horizontal plane parallel with the base board 20 so that the base board 20 may be moved rearwardly within the channels 33. The connecting bar 28 is formed with an upwardly offset central portion 31 which constitutes a stop and which is engageable by a transversely disposed stop member 38 which is fixed to the underside of the base 20 between the rails or slide members 23. The bar 28 adjacent the opposite ends thereof is notched as at 28a so that the runners 23 may freely pass therethrough to position the base 23 on the cradle.

The rear edge of the stop member 38 is adapted to engage the upwardly offset portion 3! of the bar 28 so as to limit the rearward movement of the base 2!] with respect to the cradle 26. At-this time, the cradle 26 will be overbalanced to the rear and the cradle 26 with the base 20 having a typewriter T mounted thereon will swing downwardly to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2. In order to limit the rotary swinging move- :ment of the cradle 26, I have provided a stop bar 39 which is formed as part of the front wall 16 of thewell I4 adjacent the upper portion there- ;of. The underside and rear end .of the base 26 is 7 adapted to engage the stop bar 39 so as to hold the typewriter T in the inverted dotted line position shown in Figure 2 within the well !;4.

In order to provide means whereb when the basezll is moved forwardly to an operative posi- (tion the adjustment of the base 20 maybe facilitated so as to position the pins 2| in selected notches 22, theopposit edges of the base 2-0 .at the forward portions thereof are formed with oams 40, as shown in Figure 6, which are adapted to provide for the base 20 riding upwardly and over the pins 21 and at least initially position the pins 2| in the first or foremost notches 22.

"The cabinet It is formed with -a hingedtop 4| :comprising a rear top section 42 .hinged as at 43 to the upper edge of the rear wall H. The top 4| also includes a "front top section 44 which is hinged as at 45 to th forward edge of th rear top section '42. The top 4| is counterbalanced in an open position by means of a spring pressed counterbalancing structure 4t secured to the inner sides'of the side walls I 1 adjacent the upper portions thereof and also secured to the underside -of the rear top section 42.

An upstanding rear rail 46 is secured to the upperside of the rear top section 42 adjacent the :rear top and is formed with an intermediate cutout 41 with-in which a .hand may be extended to facilitate the raising of the front top section 44 when th latter is swung rearwardly and downwardly to rest on the upwardly projecting portionsg48 formed at the opposite ends of the cutout .41- The rail 46 provides a means wherebywhen the top 4| is raised any papers or articles resting on .the rear top section 42 will not slide rearwardly and-off of the rear edge of the latter section.

The front top section 44 is adapted when the .t-ypewriterT mounted on the base 20 is in a for- .ward operative position to be locked in an up- .standing rearwardly inclined position, as shown in full .linesin Figure 2, by means of a pair of sup- .porting arms 49. The supporting arms 49 are secured to the inner side of the front top section 4.4 and are preferably disposed in upwardly convergent relation,.as shown in Figure 7, and a copy holder 'member .59 which is L-shaped in trans- .versesection is secured between the arms 49 and to theinner side of the front .section .44. The arms .49 are adapted, when the front section is in copy holding position; which is'the posi 4 tion shown in Figure 2, to rest in notches which are formed in blocks 52 secured to the inner sides of the side walls I l adjacent the upper portion of the latter. The lower ends of the arms 49 are rounded off as at 53 so that they will snugly engage in the arcuate notches 5|. 1

Th blocks 52 are provided with a downwardly and rearwardly inclined arm guiding upper edge portion 53, as shown more clearly in Figure 3, and the rear ends of the blocks '53 are formed with L-shaped cutouts 54 provided with an L-shaped channel 55 communicating with the notches 25.

Th cradle 2e may be lifted from the cabinet by moving the trunnions 36 upwardly out of the notches 25 and then rearwardly through the channels whereupon the trunnions 36 will be free and .the cradle may then be removed from the cabinet.

The front top section 44 is adapted to be locked in its upraised copy holding position by means of a pivoted locking member 56 which is pivotally mounted between an upwardly extending lug 51 and the inner side of a side wall H. The lock or looking member 56 is pivotally mounted on a pivot :member 58 extending through the lug 51 and into the adjacent sid wall H. The locking member 56 is formed with a finger engaging recess '59 and an inclined arm engaging end portion 60, as shown in Figure 2, for locking the front section 44 in its upraised copy holding position. The arms 49 may be released by swinging the locking members 55 upwardly and forwardly to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, whereupon the front section 44 may be swung downwardly and rearwardly to engage the upwardly ofiset portions 48 of the rear rail 46.

Referring now to Figure 8, there is disclosed a cabinet lfla which is similar in very detail to cabinet Ill and which has secured to one side thereof a drawer cabinet, generally designated .as Bl. a plurality of sliding drawers 62 and is formed with a flat fixed top 63 whichat its forward end projects beyond the front posts l3a and the forward ends of the drawers 62. The outer forward corner of the top 63 is out off on an arc, as indicated at -64, to improve the general appearance of the desk. The lower ends of the legs on the inner side of the drawer cabinet are cut off even with the bottom of the drawer cabinet,

but in other respects the structure shown in Figure 8 is similar to the structure 10, the details of which have been heretofore set forth.

In the use and operation. of this desk structure, the typewriter T is firmly secured by fastening bolts or the like to the base .20. In the opera- :tive position the typewriter T and the base 29 will be disposed in the full line position, shown in Figure 2. At this time the front top section 44 will be inan upstanding rearwardly inclined copy holding position and arms 49 will be resting in the notches 'EI and locked against forward and upwardmovement by locking members 56.

, wardly, the rearward movement being first accomplished by raising base 20 to disengage the pins 2| from the notches 22. The base 20 will slide into the channels 33 of the balanced cradle The drawer cabinet 6! is provided with 26 and when the stop bar 38 strikes the stop member 31, th typewriter and balanced cradle may be swung upwardly, rearwardly and downwardly to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2. As the typewriter T overbalances the cradle 26, the base 20 upon having the rear thereof swung upwardly will strike the stop member 39. At this time, the bottom of the base 20 will be below the top 4! whereupon the latter may be lowered to the full line position, shown in Figure 1. The provision of the upwardly inclined wall It forming the front wall of the chamber 54 at a point rearwardly of th front of the desk and the provision of the forwardly extending supporting shelf l'l extending forwardly from the front edges of the side walls II will permit a person to dispose the knees beneath the shelf l1 without contacting the wall Hi.

It will, of course, be understood that if a different machine from a typewriter is to be used with this desk and in conjunction with the typewriter, the base board 20 having a typewriter secured thereto may be lifted from th shelf I! and the second or other machine seated on the upper side of the shelf I! with th front top section 44 in its upraised copying position.

The desk is constructed substantially entirely out of wood having a minimum of metal, and at the same time this desk provides an improved means for concealing a typewriter when the latter is in an inoperative position. When the typewriter is in. its inoperative position, the shelf I! will be used for holding papers or other articles, and the shelf 11 forms with the closed front top section 44 a forwardly opening chamber in which articles may be placed. In the modified form of this invention, the drawer cabinet 6| is disposed on the right side of the cabinet, but it will, of course. be understood that this drawer section may be disposed on the opposite side of the typewriter cabinet l0, if desired.

This desk has been designed as a multi-purpose desk, the typewriter being shown only to illustrate one form of oflice machine which may be secured to the base. Qther forms of'office machines may be secured to the base, and it will be understood that where one machine is bolted to the base, the latter may be lifted from the cabinet and another machine positioned on the shelf H.

The front top section 44 with the bar 50 constitutes a copy holder and may be optionally used for holding copy when the copy holder is in an elevated position, such as shown in Figure 2 or may be swung downwardly to rest on the bar 46, as shown in Figure 3, to provide additional top space for supporting papers or other articles when the desk is open.

The forward offsetting of the desk top forwardly of the front legs actually places the typewriter well back from the desk front a distance sufficient to enable the user to comfortably'sit at the desk without striking the knees against the front wall of the well and the user may conveniently move inwardly or outwardly with the knees beneath the shelf IT to properly focus the eyes on the copy supported by the copy holder.

With respect to the adjustment of the copy holder, it may be stated that the notches 5| are of such depth that the copy holder will be firmly held in raised position when the arms 49 are seatedinthese notches. The notchesil are of such, shape and depth thatnthe; copy holder may be quickly seated or unseated with respect to the notches, the latches or looking members 56 forming auxiliary locks to lock the copy in upraised position against downward and rearward swinging, while permitting ready downward and forward swinging of the copy holder to closed position without adjustment or release of the locking members.

The desk embodied in the modified form shown in Figure 8 by eliminating the inner legs provides for increased ankle room so that there will not be any obstructions between the outer legs to permit free shifting of the users legs and feet from the typewriter side to the drawer side of the desk.

What I claim is:

1. A desk comprising a body open at the top thereof, a top for said body, said top including front and rear top sections, means hingedly securing said rear top section to the rear portion of said body, means hingedly securing said top sections together, a pair of arms fixed to the un derside of said front top section, and notched means at the sides of said body within which said arms are adapted to seat when the front top section is raised to thereby maintain the front top section in raised position.

2. A desk as set forth in claim 1 wherein said notched means are formed with downwardly and inwardly inclined upper edges extending from the notches.

3. A desk as set forth in claim 1 including pivoted locking members carried by said body for locking said arms against movement in one direction when said front top section is in raised position.

4. A typewriter desk comprising a body open at the top thereof, a top hingedly mounted at its rear on said body, said top including a, rear top section, a front top section, means hingedly securing said sections together, a pair of supporting arms fixed to said front top section and extending from the rear edge thereof, and said body having means engageable with said arms for supporting said front top section in upraised rearwardly inclined position, said latter means including and each having in said body a notch in the upper edge thereof within which the end of an arm is adapted to engage, and means for locking said arms in said notches against movement in one direction.

5. A typewriter desk comprising a body open at the top thereof, a top hingedly mounted at its rear on said body, said top including a rear top section, a front top section, means hingedly securing said sections together, a pair of supporting arms fixed to said front top section and extending from the rear edge thereof, and means secured to said body engageable with said arms for supporting said front top section in upraised rearwardly inclined position, said latter means including a pair of blocks fixed to said body interiorly thereof each having a notch in the upper edge thereof within which the end of an arm is adapted to engage, a locking member for each arm, and means pivotally supporting said locking member.

6. A desk comprising a body open at the top 

